New Zealand batter Finn Allen has etched his name into history books by scoring the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. He achieved the feat during the 2026 T20 WC semifinal clash between New Zealand and South Africa on March 4, 2026, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
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The batters’ ability to convert his starts into big knocks in a World Cup game reflects their skills and confidence under pressure. So far, 16 players have reached the triple-digit mark in the competition, but only a few have completely dominated their opposition. Let’s take a look at three players who have stunned the cricket fraternity with their boundary-hitting abilities and reached the 100-run mark in the fastest times.
#1 Finn Allen – 33 Balls
The talented opener was touted to be one of the key players for the side in the 2026 T20 WC due to his fearless mindset and his habit of throwing the kitchen sink at every ball in the shortest format. If given consistent chances, he could be a proper replacement for Brendon McCullum for the Kiwi outfit.
Understatement of the century 😅 pic.twitter.com/bR2ysYqqwO
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 4, 2026
Finn Allen’s ascent as New Zealand’s star performer came earlier in the 2026 T20 World Cup clash against the UAE, where he slammed 84* to help New Zealand chase down 174. However, his finest knock came during the semifinal game against an unbeaten side, South Africa, in Kolkata. Batting first, the Proteas posted a 169-run total, which was a slightly under-par score on the surface.
Related Article：New Zealand vs South Africa Match Highlights：Proteas Dream Shattered in Semi-Final
New Zealand were expected to seal the chase, but no one expected them to decimate the South African team with such ferocious intensity. The opening duo of Allen and Tim Seifert was aggressive from the onset of the innings. They had a sensational powerplay, amassing 84 runs, with the majority of them coming from Seifert. Thereafter, Allen took centre stage and began finding consistent boundaries, and South Africa were under intense pressure. He reached his fifty off 19 balls and was looking in sublime touch.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 #𝐓𝟐𝟎𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 ✨
Relive Finn Allen’s knock for the ages against South Africa in the semi-final 📹 https://t.co/PQPdgS31CL pic.twitter.com/7GDqsZDPbw
— ICC (@ICC) March 4, 2026
Although Kagiso Rabada got the better of Seifert (58), the match was already out of South Africa’s hands. With 21 runs required off the last eight overs, Allen was batting at 76. Marco Jansen came into the attack and faced the heat of Finn Allen, who smashed him for three fours and as many sixes to complete the chase emphatically. He remained unbeaten on 100 off 33 balls, recording the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. His innings comprised 10 fours and eight sixes.
Notably, Allen played only four dot balls in his knock, which sheds light on his superiority over the Proteas bowlers. Pulling off such a heroic innings in a semifinal game against one of the favourites will certainly enhance his confidence ahead of the final.
#2 Chris Gayle – 48 Balls
During his playing days, Chris Gayle was often called the ‘Universe Boss’ due to his flamboyant batting attitude and six-hitting abilities. With a tall height and immense power, Gayle held an edge over the bowlers in international cricket and the Indian Premier League and gained popularity among cricket enthusiasts.
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Gayle has scored two centuries in the T20 World Cup history, with the highest knock of 117 coming off 57 balls against South Africa in the 2007 edition. However, his fastest ton came during the 2016 edition against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. England compiled a strong total of 182, with impressive performances from the batters. Chasing the score, the Caribbean team lost their opener, Johnson Charles (0), early.
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Nevertheless, Chris Gayle joined hands with Marlon Samuels to help the side in crossing the 50-run mark in the seventh over. After the departure of Samuels (37) in the subsequent over, Gayle unleashed his supremacy over the opposition. Gayle went on to remain unbeaten on 100 off 48 balls, with five fours and 11 sixes, as West Indies completed the chase with 11 balls to spare. The knock puts him in the second spot among players with the fastest century in T20 World Cup.
#3 Harry Brook – 50 Balls
England skipper Harry Brook has been one of the most consistent contributors for the side across all formats. As a result, he was appointed as the leader of the white-ball formats. In the Super 8 game against Pakistan in Pallekele, England needed a victory to confirm their place in the semifinals. Batting first, Pakistan posted a 164-run total.
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The English side lost both their openers inside three overs, but got support from Brook. He handled things at one end, while there was a flurry of wickets at the other end. Harry Brook eventually reached his century off 50 balls and was dismissed by a pitch-perfect yorker from Shaheen Afridi. During his knock, he slammed 10 fours and four sixes. Meanwhile, England chased down the score with five balls to spare and entered the semifinals.
